Counting Stars

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE - BREAKFAST SLIP

Dedicated to zahramiah .
I miss you.

Luv, Mel

"So, we have Pot Noodles, Pot Noodles, and more Pot Noodles. Which one would you like?" I glared at Puck.

"That's not funny. You must have something else other than that. Don't you guys get sick of eating the same thing all the time?"

Mr Robber Guy and and Puck looked at each other.

"Nope." They both shook their heads at me.

"That's the point of different flavours," explained Puck with a wise expression on his face.

I ran my tongue over my teeth, raising my eyebrows.

Boys these days...

"You have flour, right?" I asked, praying they at least stocked the basic human necessities involving food.

"Uh, I think so..." Puck turned around and rummaged in one of the cupboards.

"Ah, here it is!"

With a flourish, he spun and planted an unopened, dusty packet of self raising flour on the table.

According to the date on the package, it had expired two years ago.

"Um...yeeaah, no. I don't fancy poisoning myself, thanks. Don't you guys ever go shopping?"

"Well...we..." Mr Robber Guy looked uncharacteristically sheepish.

I raised my eyebrows.

"Right. That's it. Give me a paper and a pen. I'll write you a grocery list. This is totally unacceptable."

"Who made you boss around here?" Mr Robber Guy grumbled.

I glared at him.

"You can starve. I'll just make food for the rest of us." I told him sternly.

"Okay, okay. Sheesh."

The list was thrust at Labrador when he entered the kitchen.

"Wha-"

"Go. Buy food. Shoo," I told him, pushing him out of the kitchen.

"But...I haven't had breakfast!" he protested.

"That's why you're going out. To buy supplies for breakfast," I explained.

He absentmindedly glanced at the list while I was talking, then did a double take.

"Whoa. There's enough here to feed a small army! Are you trying to make us fat? Twelve family packs of double cream Oreos?"

"I'm not complaining about that one," Puck piped in.

"I'm not trying to make you guys fat. I'm ensuring I don't starve. Those Oreos are for me."

The three boys stared at me.

"You're going to eat all the Oreos?" Labrador asked incredulously.

"Don't look so surprised. I'd be a hippo if I didn't-"

I stopped.

I had almost slipped up there and revealed something that I shouldn't have.

I had to be more careful.

"If you didn't what?" Labrador prompted.

"Nothing, I just have a high metabolism rate," I said, thinking quickly.

"Okay. But you're crazy if you think you're getting all of those Oreos," Puck laughed, turning to Labrador.

They left it at that, but I noticed Mr Robber Guy staring at me with narrowed eyes.